Whitney_Houston

WHITNEY HOUSTON

1963-2012

jennifer aniston

r Ec EI v ES a STar ON HOllYWOOd’S Walk Of fam E

HW EXCLUSIVE: red carpet coverage

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A LETTER F ROm

T HE EDITOR

Dearest Readers,

Hollywood Weekly welcomes you to another exciting and informative issue! Recently we all gained another hour of sunshine in our city of angels. As we ‘sprung’ forward, I noticed how much more time was suddenly available to check off items from that annoying “to-do” list.

But, let’s remember that our “to-do” lists will never be completed... for the things we ‘must do’ will never end. Think about it: as soon as you check off one task from the list, another quickly replaces it. And that’s why we must appreciate the extra hours of sunshine- not to just “do more,” but to LIVE more. We are human beings, NOT human-doers. There is a HUGE difference.

Doesn’t it seem Angelenos naturally function better when they’re not fighting traffic at 5 p.m. in the DARK? Most agree this is a city where the sunshine and its lovely light invigorates us. It even shines a certain hue on the unique individuals who drive on all those packed freeways next to us.

We lost a legendary star in February with Whitney Houston’s passing. There are very few voices that have had such an impact in the music industry, and in our hearts. She joins the ranks of other icons who left us far too soon. WE will always love you, Whitney.

Living with a purpose is as important as living with free time to enjoy everything our amazing city offers. May we appreciate the sunshine, the ocean, the mountains, and the dreamers who make this city worthy of being called Hollywood.

Best to you as spring blooms!

Jenny Werth

Jenny Werth

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF

Prather Jackson

VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris

OPERATIONS

Erskine D. Mcswain (1991-2000)

MANAGING EDITOR

Jenny Werth

DIR. OF MARKETING

Launy Rhem

LIFE & STYLE EDITOR

Niki Shadrow

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Anthony Ewart

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Karen Bystedt

Dallas J. Logan

CONTRIBUTORS

Yota Batsaras

Anthony Calderon

Sid Fish

Fran Scott

Niki Shadrow

Jenny Werth

Steve Zall

DESIGN /SOCIAL MEDIA

Kristal Lindo

Jenny Lopez

PHOTOGRAPHY

Karen Bystedt

Jenny Lopez

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Hector Santacruz

DISTRIBUTOR NEWSWAYS

Je nny w eRt H wit H pat Rons at l a fas Hion weekend at sunset goweR studios

hollywood walk of fame

HONORS

JENNIFER ANISTON

The much-loved “Friends” actress was immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 22nd as friends and former co-star Adam Sandler paid tribute to her career.

If Jennifer Aniston wasn’t already ‘Hollywood Royalty,’ she officially is now.

The former “Friends” actress, who presently stars on the bigscreen in Universal’s “Wanderlust,” was given prime real estate for her star. It’s located right near the corner of Hollywood and Vine- a famous intersection.

“I was born in Sherman Oaks, California,” Aniston said during the ceremony. “I am a California girl through-and -through, and I’m sure this has always just sort of been in the back of my mind.

“It probably wasn’t even a dream, it was one of my wildest dreams. I don’t think that I ever even thought that this day would be here. So I am utterly humbled and grateful.”

Among the faces in the crowd were Aniston’s father, “Days

of our Lives” actor John Aniston, and “Wanderlust” co-stars Malin Akerman, Kathryn Hahn and Justin Theroux- her current off-screen beau.

But before Aniston could take the podium, her “Just Go With It” co-star Adam Sandler said a few words in her honor.

“Everyone loves this girl- my wife loves this girl, Justin Theroux loves this girl,” Sandler joked. “She prayed for three things: to have everyone in the entire world fascinated with her haircut, to one day star in a movie about an evil leprechaun who kills people and most important, receive a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well today, Jennifer, the trifecta is here.”

The honor comes following the July hand and footprint ceremony, in which Aniston laid her hands and feet in the cement outside the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater. The prints of her hand’s and feet join the ranks of superstar’s prints such as Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland.

Congratulations Jennifer! A friend of ours forever......

Photo co P yright Af P/getty im A ges

scene in LA

BY:NIKI SHADROW

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c armen e lectra & cheryl Burke with s chick Quattro razors Wella Beauty Bar

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tony Bennett honoring Amy Winehouse

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Hollywood Weekly's Celeb Baby Scoop

Tinseltown Tots and Their Birthday Bashes

Everyone loves a fun children’s birthday party! But in Hollywood, the kids get more than just hot dogs and homemade cupcakes! From $100,000 extravagant affairs when Suri Cruise turned two, to themed and catered events like Stella McDermott’s third birthday, to Cruz Beckham’s costume party in Beverly Hills, Celebrity Baby Scoop invites you into the birthday bashes of Tinseltown’s tots.

One of the most celebrated tots in Hollywood, Suri Cruise, is well-known for her extravagant birthday parties. Her second birthday party made headline news when parents Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes spent a reported $100,000 on the event. Fast-forward a few years where we spotted the mini fashionista celebrating her fifth birthday with a lavish tea party alongside mom and dad at their Beverly Hills mansion last April. Mama Katie talked about the party plans a few weeks prior to the lavish event. “This is my favorite day of the year,” the “Dawson’s Creek” alum said. “So we’re gonna have a little tea party, and I like to girl it up.”

Auntie Tori Spelling sure knows how to throw a party! Simone Lynn Masterson-Horn celebrated

her first birthday in style at The Carousel at Santa Monica Pier. Thanks to BFF Tori Spelling who helped plan the party, it was a day to remember! Joined by 60 friends and family, including godmother Spelling and her family, Ali Landry and Sasha Alexander, Simone enjoyed a raspberry and pink ‘Modern Circus’ themed bash. “Simone’s birthday was perfect – good friends, family, lots of fun on the carousal, and of course, cake,” Celebrity Baby Scoop was told. “Who doesn’t love birthday cake?! Simone’s now a BIG fan.”

From Liam’s superhero party, to Stella’s Hello Kitty-themed bash, Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott love throwing huge birthday parties for their kids!

Held in the backyard of the Spelling-McDermott Los Angeles home, Stella’s third birthday party included a huge bouncy castle, lots of inflatables, a themed chill out area, Hello Kitty characters, a pampering station and face painting were all part of the birthday extravaganza. Stella was also treated to a Hello Kitty birthday cake which was actually bigger than the birthday girl herself!

Look out New York City! When she was expecting her second child, Jessica Alba was photographed

with her birthday girl, Honor Marie, in New York City. Always the fashionista, Honor celebrated her third birthday in style on the streets of NYC in none other than a fancy princess dress with a badge that read, “Birthday Girl.” The pretty pair were spotted with papa Cash Warren and the nanny as they left their Manhattan hotel and headed to Bubbys in Tribeca to celebrate the big day with some friends.

The youngest son of David and Victoria Beckham, Cruz, was all smiles as he arrived with his mom Victoria and big brothers Brooklyn, then 10, and Romeo, then 7, at Xtreme Martial Arts World Headquarters in Hollywood, California to celebrate his fifth birthday. The adorable boy was dressed from head-to-toe in a Transformers costume, upstaging his fashionista mama!

You only turn four once and in honor of Kingston Rossdale’s big day, his famous parents spared no expense! A source said that Gwen Stefani and husband Gavin Rossdale spent $15,000 on their firstborn son’s May 29 birthday bash at their Los Angeles-area home. To primp-and-prep for the elaborate birthday bash, Gwen took Kingston for a mother-son mani-pedi at the salon. Only in Hollywood.....

Tori Spelling and daughter Stella

Simone Lynn Masterson-Horn’s first birthday cake

Suri Cruise on her 5th birthday

Stella Spelling’s Hello Kitty themed party

Jessica Alba and Daughter Honor

Top Favorite Celebrity Moms Hollywood Weekly's Celeb Baby Scoop

We can’t get enough of our favorite celebrity moms! From Sarah Michelle Gellar’s frequent Starbucks trips with Charlotte, to Jennifer Garner’s park playdates with the adorable Violet and Seraphina, or Alyson Hannigan’s Santa Monica strolls with Satyana, we love seeing our favorite celebrity moms out and about with their gorgeous kids! In a recent poll, over 20,000 votes came pouring in for the top favorite celebrity moms.

• Sarah Michelle Gellar: “We can’t get enough of “Buffy” alum Sarah Michelle Gellar! The 34-year-old actress and husband Freddie Prinze, Jr. are parents to two-year-old daughter Charlotte. “Charlotte is my best friend, and any free time I have, I want to spend with her,” the proud mom gushed. “But while it’s easy to forget yourself, I can’t define myself as only Charlotte’s mother—one day, she’s going to be an adult, and then where am I?” And it sounds like SMG definitely deserves our top honor - she’s already taught baby Charlie to love her greens!

• Jennifer Garner: “Alias” alum Jennifer Garner, 39, and husband Ben Affleck just had their third child. The high-profile couple are already parents to daughters Violet, 6, and Seraphina, 3. The hands-on mama recently gushed about her adorable and hilarious girls. “You know how once you have kids you never ever pee by yourself again? At least one of them is always in there with you at all times,” Jen shared. “So the other day... [Violet] is in there with me and all of the sudden she went, Oh Mom, we have to have a talk...She said, ‘Mom, your bottom has gotten so big that your panties don’t even begin to cover it.’ I said, ‘It’s called a thong, you wear it when you’re a grown up.’ She was like, ‘Uh, that is so gross!”

• Angelina Jolie: Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie, 36, and her longtime love, Brad Pitt, are parents to six kids: Maddox, 10, Pax, 8, Zahara, 7, Shiloh, 5, and 3-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. “There are far too many things to count,” Angie said on the joys of motherhood. “But everything that matters in life has to do with being a parent.” While she’s had a colorful past, the actress said she’s honored to be considered a role model.

• Alyson Hannigan: “How I Met Your Mother” star Alyson Hannigan, 37, and husband Alexis Denisof are expecting their second child this summer. The couple, who co-starred in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” are already parents to daughter Satyana, nearly 3. “There are so many in a day,” Alyson told Celebrity Baby Scoop of cherished moments with her daughter. “It’s hard to choose any of them, but they’re all so special. I love her perspective on life and I love getting to be a part of her world. She’s just such a sweet, sweet person and I love the things that come out of her mouth. She’s just so full of personality and so lovely. [Motherhood is] just the greatest thing ever!”

• Jessica Alba: “Fantastic Four” star Jessica Alba, 30, and husband Cash Warren welcomed their second daughter, Haven, in August. Jessica said motherhood “changed everything” and helped her gain perspective. “I felt completely different [after becoming a mom],” Jess said. “I really came into myself as a person. Before, I was always working for my identity. And then you take the focus off of yourself. I was probably- definitely -a bit of a narcissist. When you are young and an actor and driven, it’s a bizarre state of mind to be in at times. I was so focused on things that didn’t matter at the end of the day. Now I have what I do for a living in perspective. Working was everything to me, my entire identity, and once I got to step away from it, everything changed.”

• Miranda Kerr: Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr, 28, and husband Orlando Bloom are parents to son Flynn, 13months. The model mom has become an outspoken advocate for breastfeeding since welcoming her first child. “I intend to breastfeed for as long as I can,” she said. “My breast milk will give our little Flynn the nutrition he needs for his continued healthy development and to all mums out there I am sure you will make the right choice for you and your baby.”

• Gwen Stefani: “No Doubt” frontwoman Gwen Stefani and her rocker hubby Gavin Rossdale are proud parents to two sons: Kingston, nearly 6, and Zuma, 3. “Having children is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Gwen said. “No one could have prepared me for how awesome it is and how hard. And having two boys – there’s a lot of energy.”

•Victoria Beckham: After having three boys - Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, 9, Cruz, 6 - Posh mama Victoria Beckham, 37, and her soccer star hubby, David Beckham, welcomed daughter Harper in July. The singer-turned fashion designer joked that her daughter doesn’t fall too far from the tree. “We went into Prada yesterday and she loved it,” Posh said. “It was as if she was saying, ‘Mummy I’m home!’”

• Sandra Bullock: The road to motherhood wasn’t easy for Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock, 47. While she adopted a beautiful boy named Louis in January 2010, her marriage to bad-boy Jesse James ended only two months later after reports of infidelity surfaced. Although her life seemed tumultuous, she only had one thing on her mind. “I wasn’t thinking about any of that,” Sandra said. “I was just so happy being a mom. I’m still very happy being a mom. That just shifted and became my full priority.” The single mom recently gushed that her 2-year-old tot is “probably the best baby in the world.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar and 2 year old daughter Charlotte

Angelina Jolie with Maddox, Shiloh, and twins Knox, and Vivienne

Sandra Bullock with Louis, her 2 year old adopted son

Gwen Stefani with Kingston 6, and Zuma, 3

HOLLYWOOD bEAUTY

ma Rc by ma Rc Jacobs

3

trend alert: tHe BrIte lIFe tHIS Sea SOn de SIGnerS and CeleBS alIKe are eMBraCInG tHe BrIGHt SIde.

Spring has arrived. As the temperatures rise this season, we are wearing a bold and bright color palette. With “IT” colors like tangerine, coral, violet, jade and tomato; color-blocked with white, navy, tan and blacks. For a great tip in the color-blocking trend we should take notes from our First Lady and Fashionista Michelle Obama wearing this PREEN Shift Dress and Alexis Bittar Broach . This season in fashion is all about expression and experimentation. So have fun. THE STApLE -1. THE CLASSIC SHIFT DRESS, Tate Twill Dress by MARC By MARC JACOBS $398.00- www.marcjacobs. com ARm CANDY 2. PROENZA SCHOULER Neon Coral Pouch Bag - Pebbled leather pouch bag in neon coral. Gold tone hardware. $1225.00 www.ssense.com EXpRESS YOURSELF 3. Color block heels are one of the must-have items for spring. They are bold, bright, fun and definitely on trend. What’s great about these color block pumps is how they immediately add life and excitement to your look. From jeans and a cardigan to a ladylike dress, these pumps are the perfect complement to any spring-time style. For those of you out there who find color block trend a bit too bright, opt for neutral shades with a pop of color. Think tan with pink or grey with yellow. Very fun and very wearable. ALDO SHOES, Atonini Pumps $110 www.aldoshoes.com THE WOW FACTOR 4. Antipasto, Present, and Future Dress, MODCLOTH $138, www.modcloth.com THE STATEmENT - If a girl’s got a few “statement” pieces of

- HoLLywood

jewelry in her fashion collection, she’s always good-to-go.  That’s a cinch to do if you you visit www.shopedenjewelry.com.  These original items are fantastic! 5. Dewdrop Pendant by EDEN- A Swarovski crystal ensconced in a dewdrop pendant hung by thin box chain. $105.00 6. Floating Crystal Earrings by EDEN - Galactic Swarovski crystals float in hoop of box chain. Stud posts finish off the look. Complete your look with a white shirt or a LBD. $49.00 7. Feeling free-spirited and need a way to express yourself? Try on EDEN’s Feather Double Finger ring. $89.00 FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE 8. They are foldable, flexible, and fabulous. Plus, after a long night of torture to your toes they are heaven sent. BUTTERFLy TWISTS Slyvia foldable satin slippers come in a variety of bold colors. From $20.00 www.butterflytwists.com THE TOppER 9.you can most certainly wear-your-sunglasses at night.... make a trendy entrance into any room with these bold shades by MARC By MARC JACOBS $110.00 www.solsticesunglasses.com GET SLEEk 10. When the salon is just not an option, all you’ve got to do is grab one of these styling devices to create that lovely ‘look.’ A straight ‘do’ is always a sure hit. Don’t be afraid of styling your own hair, just follow directions and make it a habit to treat your tresses right! Gio 1” Flat Iron by ENZO MILANO $149.99 www. enzomilano.com 11. Worn on the runways of JASON WU and REBECCA TAyLOR at New york Fashion Week are the daring OPI TEXAS COLLECTION. They come in bold lacquers named San Tan-tonio and Road House Blues. $10 www.ulta.com Straight off the Runway!

r apper mc Lyte inside a f ield c andy tent

(Photo: t iffany r ose/ Wireimage)

r ed c arpet m anicure was on-site painting nails with their 24K t gold gel nail polish. (Photo: Jenny Lopez)

t he g r A mmy gift lounge was beautifully decorated with plenty of candy to go around. Designed by s eyie Design (Photo: Devin ford)

Neil Patrick h arris wearing sunglasses from s olstice s unglass Boutique

(Photo: Alison Buck/ Wireimage)

t V personality Kyle r ichards and Butterfly twists stylish and foldable ballet flats

(Photo: Alison Buck/ Wireimage)

Amber r ose and recording artist Wiz Khalifa at the Lasio booth which sponsored the event (Photo: Alison Buck/Wireimage)

Just Dance 3 for Wii

(Photo: Jenny Lopez )

it’s awards season, and just like any other season there’s plenty of swag! Lasio hair care sponsored this year’s gra MMY gift Lounge at the staples center in Los a ngeles ca . they gifted all the hottest items to brighten up that red carpet.

recording artist e speranza spalding playing one of the gibson guitars on display (Photo: Araya Diaz/Wireimage)

e manuel Andren holding up a box of his delicious chocolates (Photo: Jenny Lopez)

r ecording artist “Deadmau5” with r ider s andals from Brazil (Photo: Alison Buck/Wireimage)

s inger Aubrey o ’Day wearing a s imone i s mith lollipop necklace which raises money for cancer (Photo: Alison Buck/Wire image)

rammy

oller (PhotoAlison Buck/Wireimage)

s inger Kimberly Perry of “ t he Band Perry” trying on clothes from Belldini (Photo: t iffany r ose/Wireimage)

“Weird Al” yankovic attends the g rammy g ift lounge (Photo: Araya Diaz/Wireimage)

spirit aWards 2012 Gift Lounge

Celebrities attended the Official Presenter Gift Lounge at the 2012

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AMC Theatres,

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Actor Matt Bomer Photo: Jesse Grant

Actress Lucy Liu Photo: Maury Phillips

Illeana Douglas Photo: Maury Phillips

Kym Johnson and Carson Kressley

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Garcelle Beauvais

Photo: John Sciulli

Beth Behrs

Photo: Jesse Grant

Kym Johnson and Carson Kressley Photo: Maury Phillips

Shailene Woodley Photo: John Sciulli

Tracee Ellis Ross

Photo: Jesse Grant

Anna Kendrick Photo: John Sciulli

Penelope Ann Miller Photo: Jesse Grant

Film

Spirit Awards at the Santa Monica Pier in February in Santa Monica, California. Gift lounge

Wella Professionals, Tree Hut, New Balance, Emergen-C, Fashion Forms, Votre Vu, Bratz, Bowers

Wilkins,

Cult of Individuality, Carlos Falchi, The Ritz-Carlton New York & Crunch Gym.

BY: JENNY WE rTH

p HOTOS BY: B I ll J ONES

“HOUSTON

’S amaz INg ra NgE Of vOcal capa BI l ITIES cOU pl E d WITH HE r NaTU ral BE aUTY STUNNE d THE mOST c YNIcal Of m USIc cr ITIc S.”

whitney Houston performing at the 2009 gRammy awards photo :bill Jones.

Her voice made my skin tingle; created tears in my eyes and left me gasping for that last ounce of breath to finish her ballads. Into the air waves of our radios she sang beautiful songs marked with poignancy and extreme emotion. And just when you thought she couldn’t possibly sing any stronger, or with any more passion, she sang what became the soundtrack for countless of lovers with the hauntingly beautiful song “I Will Always Love you.” It was the theme song of the movie “The Bodyguard,” acted out during a scene that shows a desperate Kevin Costner thrashing across a busy concert hall to rescue Houston from what he feared was potential harm. “I Will Always Love you” became the song that showed the power of a love that knows no boundaries, nor cares if it must cross volatile borders. And it is just one of the many songs Houston performed that took on a life of its own. One that seemed to parallel the intense love she felt for Bobby Brown. A love that notoriously often shadowed her repetitive struggles with addiction.

However, instead of repeating the continual flow of information the paparazzi constantly announced about her personal life and all its unstable turns; let’s focus on her voice that was steady in its prominence. This is a celebration of a woman whose songs blared out of our car radios as we took road trips; words we screamed out while performing ‘cameos’ in the shower; and ultimately the influence of a magical singer that has left us far too soon.

Houston’s amazing range of vocal capabilities coupled with her natural beauty stunned the most cynical of musical critics. For when Houston took the stage, the passion that burned in her eyes matched the depth of her voice. And it often left her audience speechless. Houston was a force totally of her own- whether you liked her style of music or not- few would argue that her voice didn’t reach notes that left many breathless. It was a voice that was admired by

her peers and adored by her fans. But, her talent didn’t stop with her vocal chords. Indeed, she was also an accomplished actress. In totality, she was the personification of a rare talent. One who could tackle any song, or take on the big screen as well as she could perform for a sold-out concert- always with her raw flair of heart and soul.

But, all too often when you have a talent as inconceivable as Houston, you also find a human racked with internal pain and perplexity. However, this pain often finds enormous relief through the expression of song. And it’s these songs of deep furor that often become enormous billboard hits. They do so for one reason: they have the ability to verbalize the hunger for love so many human’s share in their hearts. But, sometimes that is simply not enough for the one who sings the words of a song’s accolade. The melancholy will stand witness to how often they can help heal others; despite their struggle to ever really quite restore themselves. And unfortunately Houston now joins a group of other incredibly talented singers who ultimately couldn’t find the peace so many of us search for in life.

I watched a man press himself prostrate on the cement of the corner of the Beverly Hills Hilton (where Houston spent her final hours.) He was staring intently into a candle flickering in front of a picture of Houston. He was in the company of many other flames that also illuminated numerous other photos of Houston, along with many teddy bears, hearts and notes that had collected in tribute to her. There on the dirty sidewalk of a huge intersection in Los Angeles, people in traffic watched the candles lit in homage to her memory. Candles with flames that we find time and again are far too easily blown out.

So, with her passing, we must thank God that Houston found the power of her voice while singing in her church and shared its talent with us during her 48-short-years. For furthur information about Whitney Houston and her last projects please visit: www.whitneyhouston.com

two legends: natalie cole and whitney Houston at the gRammys 1998 photos: bill Jones.

mourner’s place flowers and balloons at whitney’s childhood church new Hope baptist church in newark, n.J

I Know why The SoulbIrd SIngS

A n e XCluSIV e hollywood weeK ly Q & A wIT h r&b SongST re SS SuCh

Motivation is everything – three words that describe the foundation for some of the greatest musical careers our world has ever known. In 1957 John Coltrane had a spiritual awakening that changed the course of his life and his music; the sheer power of this experience can be heard on the title track of his magnum opus “A Love Supreme.” Neo-Soul singer SuCh (Su Charles), had a similar epiphany in 2010 when she travelled to her homeland of Haiti with her husband to the epicenter of the nation’s catastrophic earthquake. SuCh talked to me recently at Sunset Gower Studios about this moving, life-changing encounter, performing on “American Idol” and the launching of her solo album.

HW: So, SuCh. Interesting name.

SuCh: It’s a hybrid of my real name, Su Charles, but also is full of meaning. The word such is used in two ways: 1) to emphasize a quality “he has such a good heart” and 2) to show a similarity “such as.” That is who I strive to be as a person, someone who amplifies and exemplifies what is good, beautiful and real. And I want my music to reflect that.

HW: Tell me about Haiti.

SuCh: My in-laws, who are both doctors, lived right at the epicenter of the earthquake in Haiti. My husband and I were there for 22-days,

and being there, seeing all the loss and devastation of life, it made me realize that life is short, and I should be doing what I’ve always wanted to do, and what I know I was called to do. I made the decision then to take my music more seriously, so, when my husband and I came back from Haiti we started a non-profit organization called “Renewal 4 Haiti,” (http://Renewal4Haiti.org) which is dedicated to rebuilding a hospital there. And I started singing at benefits all over Denver and Montgomery, Alabama.

HW: Now, you recently had a baby, right?

SuCh: I did, February of last year, and that has really fueled my fire. I want my son to believe in himself, and believe that he can do anything he wants to do, but the only way he’ll believe that is if I do. I don’t want to just tell him that, I want to show him that I’m living that every single day.

HW: And you started early in this business yourself, right? Because your career began at 15 with the Grammy High School Jazz Ensemble.

SuCh: That’s right, and that was really the predecessor for the Grammy Camps they have now.

HW: How did that come about?

By A N thoN y eWA rt

SuCh: Well, as you know I’m Haitian-American, my dad’s a Pastor, and I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember – I probably started around three. I would sing in the church choir and children’s choirs and once I hit school age I remember participating in every choir available. I think I had my first solo when I was seven or eight. During this period I also learned to play the flute and piano so music was just a very big part of my life.

HW: Did you play classical piano as well as jazz?

SuCh: I did. I was classically trained instrumentally but also played jazz and was part of the school band, jazz choir and concert choir. It was my band director who encouraged me to audition for the Grammy High School Jazz Ensemble. I sent them a video with me singing a few songs of their selection. They were choosing twelve choir members and maybe 18 jazz members for the ensemble. People were auditioning from all over the U.S. and Canada, so I really didn’t know what to expect, but they chose me.

HW: Apart from the Canadian submissions it sounds like it was a foreshadowing of your success on “American Idol.”

SuCh: It was, and I had a wonderful experience with them. I was accepted for three consecutive years. I was able to tour L.A. jazz clubs and venues like The Brown Derby, Spaghettini’s and The Knitting Factory. I attended the Grammy Nominee Dinner and the GRAMMy Awards and met and performed with artists like Patrice Rushen, Peter Cincotti, Kurt Elling, Dave Koz, Erykah Badu and yolanda Adams.

HW: I read that you were the only member of the ensemble who wasn’t actually in a performing arts school, so you really had a lot of natural talent and ability.

SuCh: Thank you for saying that – I was also the youngest one there too, so I was really honored to be a part of that.

HW: After that experience I know you became a very competent choir director as well, because you were doing that in college.

SuCh: I did, and even after I got married and moved to Chicago I was directing choirs.

HW: …and you continued when you moved to Denver.

SuCh: That’s right.

HW: Tell me about the work you did with K’naan.

SuCh: That was really cool. I arranged a choral orchestration of his single “Wavin’ Flag,” and we performed it with him when he came to Denver.

HW: Nice. Now, during this time you received your second

undergraduate Degree?

SuCh: yes, in Nursing – but I never stopped singing. I was always writing songs, I just wasn’t really doing anything with them.

HW: Then the earthquake hit in Haiti, and everything changed.

SuCh: yeah, everything changed. I re-examined my life and what I really wanted to do… What was most important to me… and what was touching and making a difference in people’s lives. And I do that best through singing. I have no regrets. Had I not been a nurse, I would have never been able to help save so many lives after the tragedy. As a result my music draws from a wealth of experience and emotions.

HW: Okay, so, you’re back from Haiti, you’ve started your nonprofit foundation to help rebuild a Haitian hospital, you’re singing at benefits around town, and then you had your son, and soon after that… “American Idol.”

SuCh: I can’t talk about it. (laugh)

HW: I know, but you did make it to Hollywood Week and finished. I think you were in the top 98 out of 112,000 contestants, so, that’s pretty impressive.

SuCh: Thank you!

HW: Now you have an album dropping May 5th on iTunes and Amazon.

SuCh: That’s right, on my birthday and I’m so excited about it! It’s called “Stretch Marks,” and while it’s not the prettiest or sexiest title for an album, it’s a very real one. We’ve all had those experiences that have stretched us to our limits, pushed us, sparked the fire in us to want to be better, stronger, wiser. The scars that grow from those experiences should be worn with pride. They are the proof that we have gone to battle and have won. That there’s beauty in imperfection. And you’ll definitely get to hear some of my Haitian roots in there too (smile).

HW: And the two singles are “Robbed” and “Mesmerized” are now available on iTunes which both have music videos that will be available on our website, and which are also available on your website.

SuCh: yes, www.iamsuch.com. you can learn more about me and “Stretch Marks” there also.

HW: Great, and people can follow you on twitter @IAMSUCH and on facebook.com/thisIsSuCh. And finally, I know your style covers Soul, R&B, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Pop and, of course, Neo-Soul, but there’s an old saying in the business: “there are only two kinds of music – good and bad“– and I think we can all agree that your music is “Good.”

SuCh: Thank you for saying that.

HW: No, Thank yOU. And much success with the new album. it UNes L iNK s : “ro BB e D ” : http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/robbed/ id508479030?i=508479073 AND “ m esmerize D ” : http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mesmerized-single/id510157698)

THE gramm YS gO

“rollIng

In The deeP” WITH ADELE

bY: jENNY W ERTH

ollywood, California: a city where people dream big whether they’re awake or asleep. In the morning, their dreams mist over the marine layer. By mid-day, they’ve evolved into a vividness of clarity that embraces another LA blue-sky. Come afternoon, they linger expectantly under huge palm trees and by evening, they line the boulevards brimming with desire.

Seldom do the dreamers cease to visualize their desires coming true; they must believe in themselves with a faith often found only inside sacred temples. And although their heart’s deepest desire of ‘making it’ rarely materializes, the believers persevere. The number of hopeful artists who have strolled along the infamous avenues of Los Angeles is as vast as the city’s neon-lit signs.

So dubious is the likelihood of becoming a success that once someone does, it’s as if the exctied beat of their heart can be sensed by everyone.

Take Adele at the GRAMMyS this year. The chills down her skin were felt by everyone as she won best pop vocal album, best pop solo performance, best short form music video, best album of the year for her hit album “21,” and best record of the year for the single “Rolling in the Deep.” The new British singing phenomenon triumphed despite damaged vocal chords and an uncertain recovery. Indeed, Adele found the sweetest way to deal with a broken relationship was to turn its sadness into a number one hit song called “Rolling in the Deep.”

What a sweet sense of redemption- to realize victory was the very result of her broken heart’s misery. But this is obvious to anyone who has listened to her sing her soul out over a broken-hearted lover. Clearly, a lack of broken hearts there are not in this world; for seemingly every other person has downloaded this sensation of a song. In fact, “Rolling in the Deep” has been downloaded over six-and-a-half million times since its release in July of 2011. Plus, it’s the longest charting number-one song of 2011.

But what makes the GRAMM y awards so interesting is that the awards are not determined according to the number of album or individual song sales, but by the peers of the artist. It’s the recording industry’s most prestigious award that’s presented by The Recording Academy every year. The GRAMMyS is an evening that brings together thousands of the most creative artists in the world. It’s a night of anxious anticipation. In fact, the nervous-energy can be felt in the air as the most admired of artists walk that shiny red carpet.

As we know, Adele took home the bulk of the awards this year. But other artist’s also had their time to shine. Foo Fighter’s won best rock song and best rock performance for their hit single “Walk,” along with best rock album for “Wasting Light,” and best hard-rock/ metal performance for the song “White Limo.”

Amy Winehouse won posthumous best pop performance by a duo or group for the classic song “Body and Soul.” The hauntingly nostalgic song performed by Winehouse and Tony Bennett was written in 1930 by the legendary song writer, Cole Porter. It’s a song that’s been re-invented time and again by some of the best singers in history; this duo included.

There’s never a lack of talented artists in the city of angels. This year, the GRAMM y for best new artist went to Bon Iver. He also won best alternative album for his self-titled album “Bon Iver.” As always, it was a fashionable star-studded celebration of music….. the kind that has touched most of us, body and soul.

he Oscars, often an overlong selfcongratulatory snore, actually zipped along This time. It was one of the breeziest ceremonies in decades. “The Artist” became the first silent movie in 83-years to win best picture. The black-and-white gem from France about the birth of the talkies also picked up a best actor statue for its expressive star, Jean Dujardin, and a best director win for Michel Hazanavicius.

Then there’s Meryl Streep! She’s the most nominated performer in the history of the Oscars who scored her third gold statue for best actress. This time, for her performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.”

Although she has been nominated 17 times, she had not won in nearly 30 years, since picking up best actress for “Sophie’s Choice” in 1983. This third acting win landed her in second place behind only Katharine Hepburn (with four awards), and tied her with Ingrid Bergman, Jack Nicholson and Walter Brennan.

Octavia Spencer took best supporting actress for her role in “The Help,” and Christopher Plummer, 82, became the oldest actor to win, grabbing the best supporting prize for “Beginners.”

With five awards overall, “The Artist” tied Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” for the most wins.

The 84th Academy Awards, broadcast on ABC, also marked the return of Billy Crystal for his ninth hosting stint. Crystal opened the night by inserting himself into a montage of big films from “The Artist” and “The Descendants” to “Midnight in Paris.” He bumped into Tom Cruise crashing through a window, a la the latest “Mission: Impossible,” and barged into the desperate bathroom scene in “Bridesmaids.”

The night was a celebration of old and new, including the ceremony, which featured a Crystal signature- singing a medley celebrating the nine best picture nominees. “Movies have always been a place to go,” quipped Crystal. “To laugh, to cry, to text.”

The awards were presented from the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood. The former Kodak-Theatre had its name removed as part of bankruptcy proceedings. “We’re here at the beautiful Chapter-Eleven Theater,” joked Crystal.

Pre-taped gags included a funny mock focus group assessing “The Wizard of Oz” in 1939. (The troupe, obsessed with “flying monkeys,” featured Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Shaker Heights native Fred

Willard).

Spencer, brash, brave and funny as Minny Jackson in “The Help,” delivered a tearful, emotional speech after being showered with a standing ovation. “I have to thank my family in Alabama,” she said. Then, throwing out an even wider net, “and the state of Alabama.”

Plummer won for playing the dying dad who comes out of the closet late in life in “Beginners.” At 82, he’s two years older than Jessica Tandy, who had been the oldest actor to win (“Driving Miss Daisy,” 1990).

Staring at his Oscar, Plummer said: “ you’re only two years older than me, darling.  “Where have you been all my life?”

Woody Allen, who did not attend the ceremony, won best original screenplay for his inventive time-warping script for “Midnight in Paris,” about a writer (played by Owen Wilson) who drifts back to meet the literary lions of the 1920s.

Best adapted screenplay went to the trio of writers behind “The Descendants,” based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.

“A Separation” won best foreign language film. “Rango” took the best animated feature prize, and “Undefeated” snagged best documentary.

Some of the “Bridesmaids” cast downed airplanesized vodkas before presenting the short-film awards. “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” took best animated short. It had previously won the top animated short award last March at the Cleveland International Film Festival (a qualifying event for the Academy Awards).

Before the show there was a dust-up, literally, on the red carpet.

Sacha Baron Cohen, in character and costume as “The Dictator” (his new film) spilled an urn full of “ashes” all over E! network host Ryan Seacrest. The “American Idol” schmoozer spent the rest of the evening dabbing and brushing himself off. Alas, another night in Hollywood.

ACAdeMy AwArdS 2012:

‘mAN OR mU ppET ’ WINS FOR ORIGINAL SONG

man or Muppet,” penned by Bret McKenzie, took the Oscar for original song, beating the only other nominated work in the category, “Real in Rio.” The winning song, from Walt Disney Pictures’ “The Muppets,” the first film featuring the iconic Jim Henson characters in more than a decade, was sung largely by Jason Segel and Peter Linz, who voiced the Muppet Walter. “Man or Muppet” was one-of-three songs from “The Muppets” that were on the original shortlist for Oscar song contention. The song is one of the more sincere pieces of music in “The Muppets,” with Walter and Segel’s Gary caught in an identity crisis. Songwriter McKenzie is best-known for his work on “Flight of the Conchords.” “Real in Rio,” from animated film “Rio,” was composed by Brazilian musicians Sérgio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, with lyrics penned by pop songwriter Siedah Garrett. It was one of three songs from the 20th Century Fox film on the original shortlist for Oscar song contention, and is repeated at multiple parts in the film. A total of 39 songs were on the shortlist for Oscar consideration, including works from the Bollywood film “DAM999” and biopic “Machine Gun Preacher.” Clips of all 39 songs were screened to voting members of the academy’s music branch, and nominees were determined by an averaged point system of voting.

If no song receives an average score of 8.25 or higher, there are no nominees. If only one song achieves that score, it and the song receiving the next highest score are the two nominees. If two or more songs (up to five) achieve that score, they are the nominees.

Last year, four songs were nominated, and the winning track was Randy Newman’s “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3.” The nomination process for original song has been a matter of debate since the 2008 awards, when three songs from “Enchanted” were nominated. Likewise, three songs from “Dreamgirls” were nominated at the awards that aired in 2007. A rule change was instituted for the 2009 ceremony, stating that a maximum of two songs may be nominated from any film. If more than two songs from a movie achieve a score of 8.25 or more, the two with the highest scores are the nominees. To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film. A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film or as the first music cue in the end credits.

Jason segal, keRmit t He f Rog, and miss piggy disney/ g etty

r ISINg STar

brIghTlIFe MuSIC

Bright Enabulele is the President and Founder of a successful corporate conglomerate that includes BrightLife Music, Bright Life Consulting Group, BrightLife Global, and BrightLife Global Donations. Bright is kicking off the year 2012 with a power move that is the talk of the music industry today.

BrightLife Music officially signed a major deal memo to bring the prestigious music distributor, Bungalo/Universal Music Group, on board to handle the label’s full on distribution of its music singles, CDs and productions.

“On behalf of Bungalo/UMGD, we are proud to partner with Bright and to join the movement with him and his progressive label. We are proud to move forward with him and his artists in this innovative and collaborative partnership,” says Robert (Leo) Rodgers, Sr. Executive Vice President, Bungalo/Universal Music Group Dist.

BrightLife Music is making its mark in bringing a fresh approach to hip-hop and other genres of music in style and production that is sure to garner hits in 2012. “BrightLife Music is a movement. These guys are here to change the game”, says Scot Vanner, XXL Magazine. BrightLife Music is currently preparing for the launch of a mixtape as well as hip-hop artist Emaculent aka: Emac., with a hot new single

featuring E40 to be announced.

“We want to be a part of bringing forth music that you can feel. When you keep your music simple, it will stand the test of time. Then, you’ll be there”, says Bright Enabulele, CEO of BrightLife Music.

In addition to the nonstop work of his successful record label, Bright Enabulele aka: LA Bright, is simultaneously merging the efforts of his conglomerate to support philanthropic efforts to provide food, water, and other basic necessities to impoverished nations around the world. For these efforts, he has been coined by many as the new Bono of the music industry. “God gives you a talent to use to make a difference. He gives it to you to use. Music is a tool and it affects people’s moods. It affects people’s lives because it’s vital,” says Bright.

“We appreciate Bright’s vision for making the world a better place. His philosophy and ideologies are put in place to expand the philanthropic part of it all while sharing good music at the same time”, says Robert (Leo) Rodgers, Senior VP of Bungalo/UMGD.

www.bungalorecords.com www.brightlifemusic.com

BRIGHT ENABULELE

IrISh Ve Ter AnS MeMorIAl ProjeCT

IrISh Ve T er A nS hIST orICAl re Se A rCh Cen T re SeeKS

ASSISTA nCe F or MeMorIA l Iz ATIon ProjeCT

As America celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day last month, many paused for a moment to thank our Irish friends who gave their lives for our freedom. It’s essential we all remember who helped our country gain our independence. It’s too easily forgotten that foreigners all over the world sacrificed their own freedom to help us achieve ours. We must remember! Therefore, Hollywood Weekly introduces you to a charity that is in great need of our help.

Let’s not forget that during the 19th-century, a million Irish fled a potato famine and worked mainly as domestic servants and manual laborers in America. As poor Catholics these Irish-Americans often experienced discrimination that was still even present when John F. Kennedy won the Presidential race in 1960. This is where the causes of this charity come in.

Irish Veterans Historical Research Centre Ltd., incorporating

Irish Veterans Memorial Project, is a registered not-for-profit in Ireland (CHy14643). It is dedicated to the remembrance and memorialization of Irish men and women who served in many forces and conflicts down through the generations; and, in particular, the identification and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and those who gave their lives in the cause of freedom and peace.

Veterans Memorial Project is now seeking assistance from friends around the world. “We will be embarking on a major fundraising program from 2012 but in the meantime, we are in need of funding to keep our office going and to assist our ongoing research into the identification of Irish veterans.” In fact, there are men such as Brendan Dodd, an Irishman who served two tours in Vietnam, who is currently the charity’s treasurer. Please consider supporting this Irish charity with a small gift. For more information please visit our website at www.irishveteransmemorialproject.com

iRisH veteR ans RetuRn fRom tHe spanisH civil wa R

corriDorDigitAL

yoUtUBe’s LAUNch

“s y Nc” oN BA mmo!

from special effects masterminds CorridorDigital, ‘Sync,’ is a science fiction action thriller about a special agent/body snatcher who teams up with a teenaged hacker to stop the machines and forces of evil from taking over the planet. In a twist on the web series format, a parallel program will provide a concurrent “behind the scenes/ making of” program that documents the journey the CorridorDigital team take in their most ambitious project to date.

In the beginning of March, Big Frame and online video masters CorridorDigital, Destorm Power, Mike Diva, MysteryGuitarMan, and Tay Zonday took youTube by storm with the launch of BAMMO. This premium destination on youTube was created by and for the new generation of digital entertainment and special effects creators.

Viewers can tune in to www.youtube.com/bammo to be thrilled by visual effects and action sequences while being granted an allaccess pass to the hottest trends in tech, music fashion, and web culture.

Hollywood Weekly caught up with the creators of the show “Sync,” Sam Gorski and Niko Pueringer to find out just how these masterminds developed such an awesome program.

But first off, it’s important to note that Niko, 26, and Sam, 25, have been making films together since they were in junior high school back in Stillwater, Minnesota. In fact, they made their first film together in 2000. It was a “Star Wars Fan Film” that took them about nine months to complete. How things have changed for these evolving artists!

They moved to L.A. three years ago and have taken the city by storm equipped with video cameras and broad imaginations. But, they’re also aware that film making in L.A. is a double-edged sword. It tends to have just as much good as it does bad. However, they move ever onward using creativity as their guide and excellent film making as their force. As Sam so unpretentiously said, “ youTube is essentially the platform that allows us to professionally pursue the silly little videos we’ve been making for years.”

Q & A wiTh The creATorS of “SYNc.”

Q. Tell me a bit about “Sync.”

A. Sam- “Sync” is going to have the most ‘out-of-control’ action and gun fights that anyone’s ever seen on youTube.

Q. what made you decide to create “Sync?”

A. Niko- “We got into this because we wanted to make films…. (and) Sync for us is a way to get back into making narrative story-telling. It’s a stepping stone for us… a way to get into longer narrative.”

Q. So, why YouTube instead of TV?

Niko-(The benefit) of youTube is that you can schedule whatever you want to watch. youTube has on demand videos. With TV you have to watch what they have on. While on youTube it’s a very democratic process. It can be harsh because if somebody’s not watching your stuff, then (you’ll know it).

Sam- I think there’s a high possibility that youTube will be able to (compete with TV) in the future. It’s a video sharing website. The whole issue of piracy and all that stuff is stemming from the fact that people want a system where they can watch what they want immediately. This is why I think youTube (will be able to) compete with TV… at this particular time, they can’t compete with budget and advertisers etc. (But) over the next two years or so I think the interest in advertising will increase.

Q. Any advice for future YouTube film makers?

A. Niko- you definitely need a lot of passion. you’re not going to make a lot of videos immediately. Sam and I have been working together making films since high school. It wasn’t until recently we found out that we could do what we want to do and make money also. Being able to affect someone’s emotions makes us want to do it.

Sam- It’s very easy to get fooled by the notion that it doesn’t take 10,000 hours to get experience. We learned a lot of what we’re doing now before we even logged into youTube and made a channel. Also the key to youTube is to never waste the viewer’s time; if you waste people’s time, you won’t get watched.

Q. Thoughts on Los Angeles??

A. There are a couple great things and a couple not-so-great -things. L.A. does have a lot of great resources for film making but it is also a city that’s jaded when it comes to film making.

Filming in L.A. is kind of like being in an abusive relationship where they keep treating you poorly and you keep coming back. L.A.’s strongest thing is that it has everyone you may need to help you out.

We look forward to seeing what this designer team creates next!

A biT AbouT The compANieS behiNd corridordigiTAL:

BigFrame (www.bigfra.me) is a media company and talent management firm based in Los Angeles that connects youTube’s biggest influencers with brands to create premium content and media campaigns. BigFrame has worked with global brands including Fox, Levis, The Home Depot, Sony Electronics, THQ, and Virgin Mobile. The Big Frame network features some of youTube’s highest performing talent.

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) at Sunset Gower Studios is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization designed to showcase innovative works by emerging filmmakers from around the world.

It provides the Los Angeles community of entertainment professionals and film goers with a constant surge of monthly screening events. NFMLA provides a forum where filmmakers can be recognized for their contributions, have open audience discussions about their projects and connect with industry professionals for insight on distribution, production, acquisition and representation.

NEGATIVE

* Name: Yoav Hornung

* Age: 29

* Location: Tel Aviv, Israel

* What is your film about? My film is about a woman in her mid-sixties that randomly meets a young guy that suspects her for taking a picture of him in a park. This situation lead them to an intimate situation in her apartment and then it gets more complicated when her beautiful granddaughter shows up. I think that in one line it would be about an “old” woman finding her feminity again through a unique encounter.

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? I had a few difficulties: first there was the casting part – I really wanted the grandmother to look attractive, relatively for her age, so it will be logical that a young guy is intrigued by her. I also wanted the granddaughter and the grandmother to look alike and it wasn’t east to find. This film had NO budget at all, we spent only 150 $ - only on food, we filmed it in my own apartment and the other location (shop) let us film there for free. It all started as an assignment with a tight deadline, that’s why I also had to produce and edit it by myself due to lack of time.

* Is there something about your film you wish you could change or improve? I sometimes feel that I should have let Irit and Noam (the lady and the young guy) kiss.. but I’m still not sure what’s right.. and if there’s right and wrong in that case. I also think that if I’ve known while shooting that we were going to make it B&W we could put more attention to that eventhough I really like the way it looks now.

* What’s next? I’m now working on my Thesis film at Tel Aviv Uni. It’s a short film about 2 female soldiers in the Israeli arzmy, it’s their last drill at officers school and it’s a land navigation. It all gets complicated when one of them lose her weapon and can’t find it. I’m planning to shoot it on may and I’m raising funds to it through www.indiegogo.com/deserted That’s the reason why I can’t attend NFMLA – saving money for the next project

* Any advice for new filmmakers? My biggest

advice is to just MAKE as much as you can. Surround yourself with people who like creating and just motivate each other. Filmmaking is no doubt about being talented but not only, it’s about MOTIVATION and pushing yourself forward.

MAYHEM

*Name/Age: A.I. Moore 31/Richard Blake 28

*Location: Los angeles

*What is your film about? On his last night working security for the extremely wealthy and powerful Fulbright family, Reed Price, a former special forces officer, finds himself forced into making the impossible choice of having to save either the life of his beloved fiance, Anna, or the lives of the Fulbrights (the family who has hired him and whom he has sworn to protect) after a group of armed and masked “vigilante” killers invade their home.

*What inspired you to make it? We felt ready to make our calling card film as a filmmaking team, so we took an idea that we had for a feature film and condensed into this story. The original idea for the feature film came from a desire to revisit not only the types of films we loved growing up but to also approach making the film in the same spirit that we did making films with VHS cameras as kids. We initially bonded as friends over a love for action films and filmmakers like John Carpenter, John Mctiernan, and Brian De palma and wanted to pay homage to all of them. We feel that a lot of action films have gotten really loud and boring over the pass decade and we wanted to bring back some of the elements that we feel are missing from action films today. We also based the story around a specific and amazing location that we had access to.

*What were some of the difficulties putting it together? We had big ideas but a limited budget, not a lot of time to throw it all together, and only 4 days to shoot it.

*What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? The hardest scene for us to write was the scene with Reed (the security guard) and (his fiance) Anna, towards the beginning of the film. It was a difficult scene to write because there was a

lot of exposition we needed to get out. We also knew that the scene needed to end with conflict to raise the stakes for later, but we wanted to make sure that you liked and cared about their relationship at the same time. We rehearsed that scene a ton and the version that we ended up with was figured out pretty much right before we shot it.

*How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? We attended the festival once a few years back to check out a friend’s short film and remembered how cool of a showcase it was and decided that when he had a short or project that was worth showcasing we’d bring it to NewFilmmakers.

EDGAR ALLAN POE’S THE RAVEN

* Name: Christopher Saphire, Don Thiel III

* Age: 27 and 28 respectively

* Location: Hollywood CA, circa 1959

* What is your film about? Our film is a verbatim telling of Poe’s classic poem, set in late 1950s Los Angeles. Poe is a screenwriter who has locked himself inside a seedy motel room, trying to find solace in old films reels, his only lasting glimpse of his lost love, Lenore. His lament would continue uninterrupted if not for the arrival of an ominous bird named, “Nevermore.”

* What inspired you to make it? The story is a favorite of ours and easily lent itself to adaptation and a striking visual atmosphere. We wanted to take a well known text and present in a way that was fresh and engaging, while holding on to the integrity of the original piece. Still as haunting and relevant today, we felt the poem deserved a new audience.

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? Building the right room was a big challenge we faced in pre-production. Choosing the right wallpaper, the right desk, the right whiskey bottle. While style was a big factor, we also needed to remain true to the time period and character we had chosen. These challenges were perhaps only rivaled by the casting of our airborne antagonist. We considered animatronics, puppetry, and other

effects but finally decided there was no substitute for the real thing.

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? Because the text was provided for us, the screenplay was fairly minimal. The biggest additions we made to the original screenplay were the memory sequences on the beach and the white room of Poe’s mind, which were never included in the original concept.

* Is there something about your film you wish you could change or improve? Of course there will always be small moments and angles, cuts and line reads, that we wish could be slightly different. This is the nature of art itself and certainly of collaboration. There are problems and dislikes you can live with, and those you cannot. We took the time to change the things we could not live with and learned to live with the things we cannot change.

* Any advice for new filmmakers? The best advice I can give is to make work that inspires you. As a filmmaker you are one of many, as an individual sensibility, there is only you. Do not make the film that anyone can make. Make the film that only you can bring to life and tell the story the way only you are able.

SUNDAY

* Name: Jennie Allen

* Age: You’ll have to ask my Mom that question.

* Location: New York

* What is your film about? Sunday is about a suburban escort girl on another afternoon job - but this one turns out to be a little bit different...

* What inspired you to make it? I was inspired by a woman I used to know; she was smart, pretty, and - by all appearances - a regular girl. But she had a drug problem and at a certain point in that downward spiral she became an escort girl. She received no training; she learned by showing up at a motel and trying to do what she thought was expected of her. I imagined this vulnerable, hurting person going in and putting on that act, but also being susceptible to the vulnerabilities, the very realness, of the person behind the door. Of course she enters wanting to “do her job” and get out of there as quickly as possible - but what if this approach doesn’t work?

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? It took me a long time to find the actress to play Candace - someone who could be seductive but also vulnerable. I was incredibly lucky that Sarah Babb came in to audition - she is amazing!

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? The biggest change came in editing. The script was initially called “The Rose,” and I had a red rose at the beginning and the end of the film - the idea was to use this very sentimental, corny symbol that the character scoffs at in the beginning, but at the end, she buys herself one and it becomes very meaningful. But it never quite worked, and I had to cut it out and rename the film. Some things really are better left on the page. (And now no one will associate my film with the Bette Midler song, for better or for worse!)

* Any advice for new filmmakers? Nothing they haven’t already heard. I make my writing students read George Orwell, who said that “by the time you have perfected any style of writing, you have always outgrown it,” and that “every book is a failure.” I think the same is true of film - so keep failing, and outgrowing.

“Literally, Right Before Aaron”

* Name: Ryan Eggold

* Age: 27

* Location: Los Angeles

* What is your film about? “Literally, Right Before Aaron” opens on a guy getting a phone call from his ex-girlfriend telling him she’s getting married. Very quickly we realize that he’s not over her. It’s about the next few days of this guys life leading up to the wedding which are filled with moments of misery, humor, awkwardness and profundity.

* What inspired you to make it? I was at the end of a relationship contemplating my own fear of commitment and marriage. The song “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” came on and I started wondering about what if one day I looked back regretfully that I had ran from all these relationships. I started thinking about a guy having to swallow this reality; that the girl he subconsciously figured he’d end up with is now moving on without him. Which leaves him swimming with questions and ultimately having to accept things as they are not as how he would like them to be.

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? To be honest, it came together very smoothly. I had great people helping put it together. Things that were difficult were finding the right locations and securing them, dealing with a large number of background artists. One day I had an actress bail. She was supposed to shoot this scene and she ‘got tired’ and just left set without telling anyone. I freaked out for a second but grabbed a background artist and gave her the lines. We didn’t have time to screw around. That was definitely a difficult moment.

SEAGLASS

• Name Keith Harrison

• Age 25

• Location Los Angeles, CA

*What is your film about? A man awakens one day in the middle of an unknown desert, without food or water. Memories of his life with a girl (and water) keep him moving until he can move no further. The film can be interpreted in two ways -- as a dream, or as a glimpse into a possible (and chilling) future.

*What were some of the difficulties putting it together? I had never made a film before! I’ve been a musician all my life (I scored the film as well), and only recently developed an interest in filmmaking. I read a couple of books on cinematography, and we got a Canon t2i DSLR camera as a wedding present to take pretty pictures on our honeymoon, but that was it. My crew were my actors, and the budget was my bank account. So, maybe, $300? But I loved the challenge, and found that the transition from audio editing to video editing was a relatively smooth one.

The other main difficulty -- and this is in no way a criticism of his work -- was that my lead actor went method without warning me. The basic idea is all

* How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? I heard about NewFilmmakers through friends and submitted to them because they are young and hip and presumably about finding and promoting new filmmakers unless the title is just ironic. I’m a brand new filmmaker as this is my first film so I thought it was a great place to go. I think they are developing a really cool scene of young, new filmmakers. And they’re very friendly which always helps.

* What’s next? Maybe a feature? I’m an actor first so that’s most immediately next but as a filmmaker I would really like to take that scary step and make the first feature. I’ll say within one year, expect to see my completed feature! That’s scary just saying it out loud (or writing it really...).

* Any advice for new filmmakers? Like Nike says Just Do It! I think you will learn more from making a film than you ever will from a book or a class, not that those aren’t valuable as well. Get your friends together, make a film, make mistakes, learn and then go make another one. That seems to be the only way to do it. And you’ll surprise yourself I think. If you drop yourself into the deep end you’ll probably start swimming.

well and good, and I always aspire to create work of truth and realness, but one faces a conundrum when the role calls for death by starvation and dehydration! We left LA at 4am to hit the shoot location by sunrise. On the ride, I offered Ross some breakfast and he refused. He continued to refuse food or water the entire day. It was 115º F, and our only shade was a small camping tent and a beach umbrella. The soles of our shoes were melting off. Needless to say, Ross was dying before our eyes. By 3pm, he was a shell of a man. When I needed to shoot the final desert scene of him trudging through the sand and he simply didn’t have the strength to trudge, we had to force feed him sips of water. He made it through and did a great job, but that was certainly a challenge. That heat was insane!

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? Well, the desert and apartment scenes were shot as written -- though some of it changed in editing. The flashback scenes were the most openended. We shot those in Santa Monica, and had go with the flow, finding the right locations and such. The screenplay only outlined potential water fun, “...throwing water balloons, showering together, washing a car, walking in the rain, winning water racing at the Pier, walking along the ocean.”

* How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? We used Withoutabox to submit to festivals, and found NFMLA there. We knew of and respected Sunset Gower Studios already, and everything we read about the series was encouraging and exciting: a commitment to newcomers like us, combined with an eye for honest storytelling and original ideas. And it’s right here in L.A., so all our West Coast friends and fans can see it!

* Any advice for new filmmakers? Work within your means. A simple shot, framed and lit with care, will always affect audiences more profoundly than a complicated one you didn’t have tools to shoot right. Story is king!

NANUQ

*Name: Jill Jones

*Age: 24

*Location: We shot the “Nanuq” in both Wisconsin and in Los Angeles.

*What is your film about? Inspired by the Eskimo myth, “Why the Stars are in the Sky,” Nanuq tells the story of a young girl, Julie, and an elderly Alaska Native man, Nanuq, fighting for their lives in an Alaskan cancer center. The hospital sequences were shot on film, and Julie’s dream sequences take place in stop motion animation.

*What inspired you to make it? My cousin Dillion passed away from cancer at the age of 6. His strength and vulnerability inspired our main character, Julie. Also, “Nanuq” takes place in Alaska. In college, I had a speech class with an Alaskan girl named Ariel Tweto. She gave fascinating speeches about Alaska Native culture. We became friends, and she acted

DOT GOT SHOT

* Name: Honey Lauren 38/ Carlos Ramos Jr 39

* Location:Los Angeles

* What is your film about? DOT GOT SHOT is about DOT FORMAM, female police detective who suffers from PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as a result of a bullet that is lodged in her head. -Honey Lauren

* What inspired you to make it? DGS is a derivative of a feature I wrote called I SHOT DOT. I was working on a project with Abel Ferrara. He pointed out to how he writes his films from “One idea” . He told me to try it and after leaving him on my last night, I had this idea: Woman police detective who suffers from PTSD as a result of a bullet that is lodged in her head… I knew I wanted to write a dirty, crime drama , exploitation flick set in NYC and I formulated the whole film by the time I got to JFK! - Honey Lauren

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? Locations were the big change. Some times I’d have a scene completely blocked out. Actors all rehearsed and marked and the producer would come and tell us we couldn’t shoot at that location and literally move us to a new location and give us like an hour to light, stage, block and nail the scene.. and we did :) - Carlos Ramos Jr

* Is there something about your film you wish you could change or improve? Alsways. As a director you watch something and say “man I should have covered that differently” or I wish I had a dolly for that shot so I could track with the actor instead of pan” There are a million things you’d do different or better but you have to let it that stuff go or you’ll go crazy. - Carlos Ramos Jr

* How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? I have filmmaker friends that have screened here and had a wonderful experience! (I went to an event and was “wowed” at the quality of the films. I knew then that I wanted to submit to them. I am really thrilled NFMLA is showing DOT GOT SHOT. - Honey Lauren

as a cultural consultant for “Nanuq.” Ariel now stars in the Discovery Show Flying Wild Alaska, and she gets to share her culture with the world!

“Nanuq” was a collaboration between myself and Brent Yontz, a Director of Photography. In fact, “Nanuq” was completed as a cinematography thesis for Columbia College. Brent wanted to create a film that combined live action and stop motion animation into one cohesive look. We wrote the story around the idea of telling a story with mixed media.

*What were some of the difficulties in putting it together? We wanted to cast an Alaska Native actor in our title role of “Nanuq.” It took several months to find the right actor. We ended up flying an Alaska Native artist named Moses Wassilie down from Alaska for the shoot. Also, our film is 30% stop motion animation. We spent 8 months creating the stop motion sequences. We all went a little crazy but now have an amazing group of friends in the animation community. Most of the animation was shot in a small apartment, but we were privileged to complete our wide shots at Bix Pix Animation in Burbank.

*How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? I heard about NewFilmmakers through word of mouth. They have a great reputation and an impressive website. I can’t wait to meet the other filmmakers at the event, and I am so excited to screen “Nanuq” at NewFilmmakers LA!

*What’s next? I am collaborating again with my DP, Brent Yontz, to create another mixed media film. This time, I’m making a short documentary about sensory issues and autism. The documentary is narrated by Dr. Temple Grandin. You might have seen her in the HBO Film Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes. Check out my website at www.spectrumthefilm.com.

*Any advice for new filmmakers? Don’t be afraid to try something new and learn a new skill like animation to tell your stories.

SYNTHETIC WORLD

* Age: 29

* Location: Los Angeles, California

* What is your film about? Synthetic_World is about human’s evolution towards fully synthetic beings and the impact of longer life-spans on their lives, family structure and behavior. It is about asking the eternal question of what does it mean to be human?

* What inspired you to make it? The main inspiration for the film was our technological progress. But if I were to describe us, our struggle over millennia to exist and our vision towards the future to a non-human, metaphorically I can’t think of anything greater than our Heart. The song “Zion” by Fluke was the song that painted the vision in my head. I had it playing non-stop as I wrote and visualized the film.

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? No changes were made to the screenplay. Preproduction was very strong and I due to my VFX background I had the film already playing in my head. Now, if you asked what had to change in postproduction, that’s another story!

* Is there something about your film you wish you could change or improve? As a Director I

* Name: Slavik I Anishchenko

have extremely high standards for my craft, and those standards are always growing. Synthetic_ World was my 100% at the time, due to the timing, deadline, people involved and the budget, so of course if I made the film today it would be a totally different animal. But the answer is no, I already know what I could have done better and I am using that knowledge and self-criticism on my current projects.

* Any advice for new filmmakers? Just do it, start today.

DEAD INSIDE

* Name: Jennifer Zhang

* Age: 28

* Location: Los Angeles

* What is your film about? “Dead Inside” is the story of a mentally disturbed teen named Sarah who has a terrifying premonition one night after a group of high school students descend upon her home for a party, uninvited. She makes the fateful decision to reveal to her houseguests that they are in grave danger, and they react with hostility – brutally forcing her history of psychosis into light and ostracizing her. But as the night wears on, existing tensions are exposed and the teens begin to turn murderously against each other. Trapped in the attic, Sarah has to determine whether the ghostly visions that torment her there represent the preventable or the inevitable, or something entirely more sinister.

* What inspired you to make it? As a writer who wanted to produce my own material, “Dead Inside” began as a challenge I posed to myself to write a well-paced story that could unfold primarily in one location. As unglamorous as it is, I knew that realistically for my first feature film, restricting the action to one location was going to be the most effective way to keep the budget low. But I quickly fell in love with that challenge when I realized that in order for the film to be interesting with this constraint, 1) the characters had to be colorful and the audience had to care about what happened to each of them and 2) the plot had to be dense and it had to progress quickly. So essentially, the challenge was the inspiration. Once the characters had been developed and inserted into the intense survivalist circumstances that were plotted, the script became an exploration of the worst of human behavior. I know people say this often, but it practically wrote itself. And then – once the script started receiving an enthusiastic response from readers and from the group of 8 Google engineers who would eventually become the financiers for “Dead Inside,” I realized, “Yeah. This can happen.”

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? Without a doubt, finding the perfect house for the film was the biggest challenge. Because most of the story is contained to that one location, the director pointed out early on that the house had to be its own character. In effect, the house had to be the antagonist, so it was beyond important that it was the right one. We scouted over 100 buildings using real estate listings and craigslist

ads. I remember the day I walked into the location that would become the stage for “Dead Inside.” It was old, all dark wood, and had a staircase that just seemed imposing and ominous. And the owner took me into the attic; it was as if the house was built for the script. I called the director immediately and he picked up the phone and said, “You’re standing in the house. I just had a dream that you would find it today.” In just about the eeriest way, we were destined to shoot there.

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? For the most part, we stuck faithfully to the script, but the director chose to cut out a lot of the humor, which was something I was able to get behind. Most of the actors seemed to be going to some really dark places in exploring their roles, and the cinematography of the very talented Polly Morgan was evoking such loneliness and a such beautiful grimness. Levity just started seeming out of place.

* What’s next? Hopefully, “Dead Inside” is recognized for all of the things that give it heart: the message it contains about the ravages of bullying, the stunning cinematography and dark direction, and the powerful performances of the diverse ensemble cast. And if it finds the right audience, then I know it will fall into the hands of the right distributors, and can reach even more people to whom the story will make an impact. Then, the wish is obviously to do it all over again with another story!

* Any advice for new filmmakers? Simply: find a group of people that you like working with. You’re about to go on a long journey filled with potential heartache. I’ve learned that filmmaking is as arduous as it is rewarding, and the path is made smoother and more memorable when your team is supportive and collaborative.

SLINGSHOT

* Name: Richard Hardy

* Age: 43

* Location: Alberta Canada

* What is your film about? Peace, Culture and the need to put our weapons down.

* What inspired you to make it? The war in Afghanistan.

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? Lack of money forced us to be creative. Aligning 20 people and not paying most of them is a tricky feat.

* What were some of the changes you had to make from the screenplay when you began filming? Originally we had two scenes with animals we had to cut all of them because the young boys donkey wouldn’t cooperate. We also cut the original ending that had two taliban ride in on horse back, it didnt fit the movie in the end. It was the hardest and biggest scene to produce. My dad was one of the Taliban that rode in and it killed me to cut him but he understood.

* How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? Without a box. I submitted because it was our first movie with a budget and they are promoting emerging artists. I thought we had a great chance to get in.

HATH NO MAN

* Name: Linus Koh

* Age: 25

* Location: Melbourne, Australia

* What is your film about? When i was a kid, i used to act like i’m dying on the floor, heroically saving my best friend. I think most of us do that at some point of our childhood. This film is about sacrificial friendship in war.

* What inspired you to make it? The story is inspired from the bible. I heard a parable in a church meeting and decided to expand on it. I have a love for war films and received 2 years of military training during my National Service to Singapore. All this aspects inspired me to make the film.

* What were some of the difficulties putting it together? Period war film and Poor film students; usually not a good combination. Hath No Man was made on a depleting bank account and a spirit of resourcefulness. We had to manually dig trenches out of a hill, D.I.Y numerous sput canons for special effects, collect unwanted colored gels from gaffers to make a “stain glass” and embark on many other sweaty little journeys. On one such journey, I really wanted to shoot the Black and white scenes through a genuine WW2 Film camera. After finding a 1923’s Bell & Howell 70A 16mm camera on Ebay and getting it to be usable, we had to find Kodak 2-perf 16mm film which is really rare in australia. After we manage to get the film and did a test shoot, we realized we had a serious lens issue. It was a day before the shoot commenced that we manage to get the camera fully functioning. The good jokes along the way kept us chewing at the difficulties with a smile.

* Is there something about your film you wish you could change or improve? yes, so many things can be improved and done better, first on my list would be to send it to a sound studio to have it sound re-mix. I couldn’t afford it then but i just successfully raised enough to get it done now.

* How did you hear about NewFilmmakers Los Angeles and why did you submit to them? I heard about New filmmakers LA on withoutabox, checked out the website and it got me pretty excited. I submitted to them because I wanted the world to see “Hath No Man”. I hope this short film can inspire and move people around the world.

* Any advice for new filmmakers? Sometimes we need to be reminded that we are empowered to influence culture and edify humanity through our stories, we need to use this power with diligence and wisdom.

MaKing oUr LUcK

theAmericanWay

By Dr. Wilhelm LauraWil Intercultural

Each February and March we celebrate the GRAMMYS, the Oscars, The Indendent Spirit Awards, Fashion Weekend and even St. Patrick’s Day. At this time of year winners abound in the United States and life seems luckier. But, we must rememer those who paved the way for freedom in our country.

As we all know, immigrants to our country still flee hardships in the form of famines, wars, and other natural and man-made disasters. Sadly, discrimination follows even today. But for this first generation Hispanic-American; the Amerian dream is still alive and well. Her story is encouraging, lovely and heart-warming.

April Lufriu from Tampa, Florida, is a firstgeneration Hispanic-American. This mother of three returned to beauty pageant competitions at the age of 41 after she and two of her children were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic blinding condition that her sister shares. She flourished, for in only a matter of ten months she earned the Mrs. Florida, Mrs. America, and Mrs. World titles in a rare trifecta win.

“I

April has used her new-found celebrity to raise awareness and funds for medical research as the National Spokeserson for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. Since December she has visited local schools to make blindness presentations; served as an inspirational speaker at various events; presided in a parade; traveled to New York for a fundraiser as an emcee/ guest speaker; appeared as a guest on “Fox & Friends” in NYC; and received a Live Your Legacy award in St. Petersburg, Florida.

To date Mrs. World has placed a PSA in “Woman’s Day” and “Reader’s Digest” magazines for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. that will reach millions of readers. And she has accomplished all of this while modeling part-time and running a granite and marble business with her husband. Her children often follow along on her whirlwind of

April Lufriu is giving back under duress and bringing beauty out of darkness. America sometimes gets lucky indeed with exemplary citizens such as April.

In our third year of business LauraWil Intercultural has been invited to serve as CEO for a youthoriented virtual reality media company based in Washington, DC. Working with the world market has been a lifelong tale of tragedy and triumph. “The harder it gets, the better you do,” a perceptive college professor once noted on one of my examination papers. The company’s original slogan was simply Laura WILL! That promise still holds true.

Americans of all backgrounds make their own luck in spite of the odds. And frankly, most of us wouldn’t want it any other way.

America shines as brightly as our new Mrs. World shines. Freedom marks the way and makes a path of success that is attainable for everyone. Even your mother!

slinging razor guitars , thundering drums and an anti-hero named Johnny. n ot the prelude of typical entries in the canon of musical theatre. but these elements herald a groundbreaking american musical all the same: with the burning passion of characters who yearn for something more, songs bursting with emotion and a story that dares you to feel and celebrate and hope.

the music of green day and the lyrics of lead singer billie Joe a rmstrong captured the zeitgeist of a generation with its grammy® award-winning multi-platinum album. american idiot puts those raw emotions front and center in a highly theatrical and thoroughly satisfying rock opera that burns up the stage.

m onster hits like “boulevard of broken dreams”, “21 guns.,” “ wake m e up when s eptember ends,” “Holiday” and the title track soar like they were written for the stage under the direction of tony award® winner michael mayer (spring awakening), choreography by olivier award winner s teven Hoggett (black watch) and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by pulitzer prize winner tom k itt (n ext to n ormal).

for more information about american idiot, and ticket sales please visit: www.centertheatregroup.org